Measurement represents one of the oldest methods used by man to better
understand and control his life and his world. Since antiquity, new methods
have evolved and replaced old to allow better, faster and more accurate
measurements of materials, both chemical and biological. The driving force
in the evolution of measurement methods is to gain and apply information in
real time. Characteristics such as specificity, sensitivity, speed and cost all
contribute to the success or failure of a new measurement technology.
Chemical and biological sensors are the evolved products of many
measurement systems and many different technologies. Based on physical
transduction methods and drawing on diverse disciplines such as polymer
chemistry, physics, electronics and molecular biology, chemical and biological
sensors represent multidisciplinary hybrid products of the physical, chemical
and biological sciences. As a result, chemical and biological sensors are able
to recognize a specific molecular species or event, converting this recognition
event into an electrical signal or some other useful output.